Her Prince, His Knight
by th3.l1ttle.artee5t
Summary: [Picture doesn't belong to me.] An encounter with a certain prince causes Erza's perspective to change forever. However, in order to create peace within the kingdom of Fiore, prince Fernandes is forced to marry a princess in a neighboring kingdom, but it is against his will to do so. From here on out, Erza and Jellal's love is put to the test. [Story on hold.]
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

 **A/N:** **I promise you, this won't get in the way with my other Jerza fanfic. Rewatching the Edolas arc from Fairy Tail inspired me to create this 'project'. I'll only continue this fanfiction once I'm finished with the previous one, or if I have some extra time on my hands.**

 **Disclaimer:** **I DO NOT OWN FAIRY TAIL- IT BELONGS TO HIRO MASHIMA!**

Erza Scarlet. This name spread fear throughout all of Fiore. This S-class knight of the Fairy Tail Conglomerate had never failed a mission before, and no one dared to step of line in her unit. It was quite easy to remember her; scarlet hair, her pride and joy. Her chocolate brown eyes were enough to drive one mad. Many men have tried to seek her out several times, but the scarlet-haired woman turned them all down.

And why was this? It was simple; love would just get in the way of her work!

Erza was busy training one day when Master Makarov stepped inside and coughed to get her attention.

"Master." Erza kneeled down onto one knee with her sword piercing the ground.

"Erza," Master Makarov chuckled. "Stand up. We cannot afford paying another round of reparations due to your unintentional hole-making."

"M-my apologies..." Erza began to stand, her posture straightening.

Makarov stared at her in amusement. She was feared by all, yet she was so formal and polite towards him. It almost made him turn a blind eye to her actions on the front lines.

"King Faust has summoned you and your unit to the Royal City. This is a must."

"What for?"

"He didn't say," Makarov sighed. "I suppose you'll find out when you get there."

"I guess I'll summon the troops in my party..." Erza mumbled.

This was the first time King Faust has ever summoned Erza and her crew. It was surprising how he would call them forth to his palace; especially for her unit's infamous reputation of destroying things. What could she say? After all, there is nothing she could do about it; breaking things was their specialty; nothing could change that.

Makarov sighed, as if he could read Erza's thoughts. "I just hope your unit doesn't break anything..."

Erza smiled. "I assure you, we're going to a palace; there is no way I'm allowing them to go all out if there isn't trouble, or else."

...

Erza stepped out of the room with Makarov tailing her. The manor's hall was filled with knights celebrating from their previous mission. Natsu, a knight specialized in flame weaponry was clashing with Gray, who was specialized with ice, on one of the tabletops. Juvia cheered him on as Gray removed his clothes to brawl with the flame knight.

"You want a piece of me, flame brain?"

"Bring it on, ice princess!"

"Gray, your clothes!"

"Shit, I did it again!"

"Taking off your clothes is manly!"

"SHUT UP!" Natsu and Gray punched Elfman out of the way and immediately began to bicker over something new.

"What the hell, _slanty eyes_ ; don't get in my way!"

"Hey squinty eyes, I took him out first!"

The two knights were sprawled onto the ground, each trying to pin the other down in their melee.

"Enough!" Erza roared at them. They quickly pulled apart and bowed to their captain. "A-aye..."

"Natsu, please gather everyone in our unit. I have an announcement to make..."

"Geez," Natsu rubbed his head in pain. "Can't you just do it yourself?"

"I thought I just heard something; was it my imagination?"

"No ma'am!" Natsu saluted to her and ran off to retrieve his party members.

...

"...and so, we're heading to the royal city tomorrow. We're going by carriage." Erza noticed a glint of contempt in Natsu's eyes. "Natsu, you better behave, or I'll just have to teach you." She cracked her knuckles and gave him a menacing look.

"Y-yes..."

...

"Good luck on your mission!" Mirajane called as she smiled and waved at Erza's group.

"Be sure not to break anything!" Makarov roared. "One scratch and you're all in for a rough ride!"

Lucy laughed. "Too bad transportation is enough to put Natsu in his place..."

"I heard that, Lucy!"

Gray smirked. "What a hopeless, pea-brained dragon..."

Lucy shrugged and sighed. "Sometimes I wonder why I'm dating him..."

As the trio rambled in their argument, Wendy skipped alongside Erza and gave her a questioning look.

"Erza-san, is there something wrong?"

"No," Erza looked down at the girl who managed to warm her heart. "Just thinking about why the king would summon us..."

The rest of her thoughts were interrupted by white foam ejecting from Natsu's mouth.

 **A/N:** **Thanks for reading. I'll be writing more soon! :)**


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

 **A/N:** **As promised, I wrote a new chapter for this story since I had free time. Happy reading!**

 **Disclaimer:** **I DO NOT OWN FAIRY TAIL- IT BELONGS TO HIRO MASHIMA!**

"Honestly Natsu, what is with you and transportation?"

The fire-knight sulked as he listened to Titania's tirade about his weakness.

"I'm never riding that thing ever again..."

Happy, Natsu's partner, sighed. "You say that every time..."

"Natsu, you better get rid of that queasy look on your face before we reach the palace." Lucy dug her nails into her arms in attempt to stop herself from panicking about her boyfriend's behavior.

"Lucy-san is right. We're almost there!" Wendy pointed at the elaborate building located at the center of the kingdom. Just outside of the castle, there was a wall of forts along with watch towers for every few meters; supposedly for protection from unwanted guests.

Gray sneered. "Don't worry Wendy, they won't have trouble catching Natsu in his so-called sorry state."

"What was that, ice-princess?"

"You heard me, flame brain!"

"Shut. Up." Erza threw them a menacing look, enough to make them bend to their knees and beg for mercy. "This isn't the time to be fighting. We're about to meet a very important client!"

"Y-yes, ma'am..." They chorused.

...

"Fairy Tail?" The guard gulped as she and her 'troops' approached.

"That's us."

The guard glanced from Erza and her team to a document in his hand to and fro. He nodded his head and gestured to three other guards. They immediately walked over and accompanied them through the castle garden.

"Who do they think we are? Thieves?" Gray scowled at the guards, who were watching their every move.

"Gray-san, stop it, or else they'll get the wrong idea about us." Wendy shivered as the ice-knight persistently glared at the guards.

"Cease that at once." Erza glared at Gray, causing him to cower in fear.

"Alright, alright." Gray looked away to escape from Erza's wrath.

As short as their conversation was, the same was with their walk in the garden. The guard led Erza and her party up a staircase and closer to the castle's entrance. Two pillars with dragons at the tops of each. Golden-like vines embroidered the pillars and embellished the castle walls.

"So pretty!" Wendy clasped her hands together and stared at the castle's exterior in awe. Carla nodded her head in agreement.

"Wait here," the guard motioned to his companions before leaving.

The remaining guards stood behind Erza's group and watched them like hawks.

"You've got to admire them for their behavior." Lucy muttered.

Just then, the guard returned to the knights' location. Behind him was a tall man dressed in brown robes and hat with a black emblem which seemed like a spear piercing through a sickle-shaped silhouette. Five other guards with more elaborate uniforms followed closely behind him; supposedly a higher rank than the soldiers who let them into the palace.

"Greetings," King Faust gestured to the knights, who acknowledged him with a bow. Natsu forgot to kneel down like he was suppose to, but Lucy fortunately pulled him down in time. King Faust beckoned to Erza's party, signaling that they should follow him.

...

"Tea?"

"Thank you, miss."

King Faust watched Erza and her team as they sipped their tea; well, Happy left his untouched while Natsu gulped his within a second. The king cocked an eyebrow in Natsu's direction and gave him a cold, icy stare.

"Aren't there more of you?" At last, King Faust broke the silence.

"Yes," Erza took another sip of her tea. "They should meet up with us on the day for which you requested. They had a minor business to take care of, you see-"

Faust let out a heavy sigh. "That doesn't matter. They should've been here today!" He slammed his fist onto the meeting table; he meant business.

"Faust, don't make such a fool out of yourself."

Erza's gaze switched over where the voice was coming from. A blue-haired man with a stern expression stood at the doorway, and began to take broad strides towards the king. Erza couldn't help but notice a strange, red tattoo that covered the right half of his face.

"Ah, Prince Fernandes." Faust crossed his arms. "I suppose you don't know the meaning of staying put."

"And you don't know how to treat our guests with hospitality," He replied coldly. "Instead of ranting about the lack of troops they have at the moment, why don't you tell them about why they were summoned?"

King Faust rammed his staff into the ground and stood to face the prince. Several maids and servants in the room started to back out of the door the prince came through.

" _You_ ," the kind jabbed the prince's shoulder with the tip of his staff, causing him to wince in pain. "You have no right to dish out orders to _me_. Know your place."

Erza stood up; she couldn't allow an innocent man to be manipulated like this.

"Oi, Erza! Stop it-" Gray attempted to reach out to stop her, only to be restrained by Lucy.

Before the king was able to strike the prince again, Erza caught his staff. The on looking servants gasped as she did so.

"She... defied the king..." One of the maids quivered in fear and fell to the floor with a thud.

King Faust's hand trembled with rage. "How dare you..."

"Sir," Erza glared at King Faust, enraged. "We didn't come here to watch you torment your prince."

"King Faust," Natsu was next to stand up, fists balled up at his sides. "I don't care if you're a king or not, but that doesn't give you the right to do as you please."

"H-hey, Natsu..." Lucy trembled with fear. "This is the king you're talking about..."

"Natsu-san, please sit down!" Wendy tugged on Natsu's sleeve in hopes of pulling him back down on his chair, but he didn't budge.

"Enough."

All eyes moved to the prince, who was dusting off his shoulder from the king's attack. "We aren't here to fight."

Erza let go of the king's staff and marched back to her seat. Natsu was still standing and glared at King Faust as he resumed back to his seat, not taking any notice of the knight's behavior. The prince took a seat, skipping a chair next to his father. Nobody could blame him; after what the king did, there was no way someone would quickly forgive an unjust action like that.

"I summoned you here because there will be a ball a few weeks from now. We need all the security we can get. I have already informed other knight conglomerates about this matter..."

"Excuse me, King Faust?" Lucy's voice trembled.

"What is so important that you have to interrupt me?" King Faust barked; Lucy stiffened.

Natsu scowled and put his arm in front of Lucy to block his cold gaze from reaching her. "Don't listen to him, Lucy. You have the right to speak."

Feeling a sense of security, Lucy continued. "If you contacted other knights about the situation we're in, why are we the only one's here today?"

King Faust coughed. "Well, since your conglomerate is infamous for wrecking havoc," he eyed the knights. "I decided to warn you about the circumstances that lie ahead in a unique way."

Lucy turned red from embarrassment. "I suppose you're right..."

Natsu scoffed. "As if."

The king ignored Natsu's rude retort returned to his speech. "Any damage inflicted on this palace, and I will make sure that you will pay."

Erza's eyes narrowed. "And if we don't?"

"Then you will be rewarded," King Faust smirked. "That is, if you don't break anything."

"Understood."

"You'd best be going now; I can't stand the smell of your cherry blossom-haired friend-"

"Excuse me?!"

Lucy, Wendy and Happy held him back as Gray laughed at the king's remark.

"Well," Erza stood from her chair once more and led the knights to the exit. "If that's all you have to say, then let's leave it at that."

The knights took their leave with servants ushering them out of the room, so there would be no more problems would arise between them and the king.

...

"Wait!" A voice called out to them as the knights before they stepped out of the castle grounds. There they saw Prince Fernandes chasing after them.

"What now?" Gray groaned. "I've had enough of this silly drama today-"

"I'm sorry about how my father was acting earlier," he said panting. "He's a royal pain at times."

"I can't disagree with you about that."

"Natsu!"

The prince laughed and turned to Lucy. "It's quite alright, Miss."

His eyes cast to the side to the red-haired knight. She stared back at him in silence, not knowing what to do or say. Had she ever been this nervous around a man before?

He bent down on one knee and took her hand in his. "Thank you; for what you did." He landed a quick peck on her hand and stood.

Erza couldn't help but to feel a quick rush of electricity run throughout her body. "No problem..."

The prince smiled. "I look forward to seeing you all in a few weeks time," He turned on his heel and walked back into the castle walls, leaving the knights to ponder over their new mission.

 **A/N:** **I hope you liked it. :) Thank you to those who have already reviewed. Reviews are always welcome :D**


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

 **A/N:** **Time for some more Jerza-ness :3 I figured that it would be nice to write another chapter for this story, since most of you like it :) My other fanfiction (Love Unsheathed) is coming to a close, and soon I can pour my entire heart, soul, and time on this work. Until then... enjoy! :D**

 **Disclaimer:** **I DO NOT OWN FAIRY TAIL- IT BELONGS TO HIRO MASHIMA!**

"Um... Erza?"

"Yes, Lucy?"

"Don't you think that this is a little too much?" Lucy glanced back down at the dress she was wearing; it was a shade of pink not too far off the color spectrum of Natsu's hair. Her arms wore gloves that stretched past her elbows with frills at the end. On her neck was a diamond necklace with a pink chain that consisted of star-like shapes. Her hair was styled in a high bun, with blonde locks to frame her face.

"Relax, Lucy, it's a ball. Besides, the king ordered us to blend in with the crowd when we're on the job. Although, I would be a lot more comfortable wearing my armor, truth be told..."

Lucy scanned Erza head to toe. "Erza, you look amazing!"

"I do? I thought this was a bit much..." Erza looked at herself in the mirror. Her long, red hair was curled. She wore a strapless, dark-blue dress with white rose imprints that showed off her cleavage. A ribbon in a lighter shade of her dress's color wrapped her waist. She too, wore gloves, except for the fact that they were an elegant white.

"I don't see what's the point of wearing a disguise when I'm one of the only few knights with red hair."

Lucy sighed. "I thought you told me to refrain from worrying about that matter." She muttered.

"Erza-san! Lucy-san!" Wendy rushed into the room. "Wow! Both of you look so pretty!"

Erza glanced back at Wendy's outfit. She wore a pink, frilly dress that covered her ankles along with a red cloth draped over her shoulders. Her dark blue hair was tied into pigtails with pink ribbon.

"You look cute yourself, Wendy.", Erza said as Lucy nodded in agreement.

Carla entered the room with a stern look on her face. "We don't want to be late; considering that this is a job request from the king. Let's go!"

...

"Lu-chan!", the blue haired knight jumped into the blonde's awaiting arms when they arrived at the palace. She pulled away and smiled at the rest of Erza's crew.

"Hello, Levy." Erza smiled down at the girl who was dressed in a long-sleeved, orange shirt with a long skirt that covered her feet. "Where are Gajeel and the others?"

Levy blushed when Erza mentioned the man's name. "They're already inside."

"Then we're going in, too."

The girls headed towards the back garden of the palace, as instructed by the king, and passed by the guard standing at its entrance.

...

"Oi, Erza!" Erza turned around to see Gray running after her with the iron knight at his heels.

"Gray, Gajeel," The way they were dressed amused her; Gajeel wore his hair back in a pony-tail, and both met were dressed in suits.

"I hope you don't strip in here Gray, or there'll be hell to pay."

Gray scratched his neck with nervousness. "I'll try not to..."

"By the way, where's Natsu?"

"You mean that Salamander?" Gajeel threw his head back and laughed. "He's been busy puking his guts out for the past fifteen minutes!"

"He just rode a carriage awhile ago, sheesh." Gray scratched his head.

Erza glared at him, making both knights flinch. "Alright, I'll get him," Gajeel walked off and muttered "Before he hurls on the king's feet...", but luckily Erza didn't hear it.

"Gray, head over there, I have this area covered."

"But Lyon is over there; I'm not working with that stripper!"

"Speak for yourself."

Gray scowled at her comment and walked in the direction of his former colleague.

"Well, well, well, if it isn't Titania herself." A new voice appeared out of the blue, causing Erza to jolt in surprise.

"Bacchus? I didn't know that you were going to be here."

Bacchus laughed and put a drink to his mouth, hesitating for a brief moment, and lowered it once more.

"Haven't ya' heard? The king summoned the best knight conglomerates under disguise to put the ball under surveillance!", he spoke with a obviously drunk tone.

"I'd keep my voice down if I were you."

"You're such a killjoy, Erza." He moved closer to the Fairy Tail knight and brought his lips close to her ear. "After all, this is just another game..."

Her face remained passive, albeit internal conflict inside her.

"Wild..."

"FOUR!"

"Sheesh, those guys." Much to Erza's relief, Bacchus left her side to explore the commotion created by the knights in his conglomerate.

She continued to walk along the sidelines of the ballroom, as it was her duty for tonight. How ironic; you would expect the leader of the strongest team in an infamous conglomerate to be in the very center of all the action. Not this time; she was to make as little contact with the guests as possible. Perhaps it was for the best; after all, she was not a good dancer. All she needed to do was focus on her assignment, and waved at her old colleagues and friends while she was at it.

"Kya!"

Erza, who expected to fall on her rear, toppled over her feet and nearly hit the floor before she felt a firm grip on her arm. She looked up to meet a pair of handsome olive-green eyes, a pair that belonged to a blue-haired man with a red tattoo that stretched over his cheek and above the same eye.

"Are you alright?"

"I-" Erza hung her head in hopes of covering the vibrant shade of red that swept over her face. "Thanks."

Prince Fernandes smiled at her reaction and laughed. "Actually, I was looking for you."

She cocked an eyebrow at him. "Were you?"

"I'm so sorry; how rude of me!" He chuckled and let go of her arm.

"Um... Prince Fernandes, right?"

"Please; call me Jellal, Miss Scarlet."

She nodded her head, pretending to be oblivious to the fact that someone of a higher rank than her would reveal his name.

"Well then, if that makes you happy; I'm Erza."

"I'm well aware of that," He tittered once more, leaving the knight clueless about what kind of circumstance they were in at the moment.

"May I have this dance, my honey? Men~" A young man shorter than the two dressed in a white tuxedo appeared before them. His orange, spiky hair was pushed back while the gel had done its magic. He held out his hand to Erza and grinned. "Men..."

"Ichiya?!" Erza stared at the man in fear and felt chills travel down her spine. She was trapped.

"My honey?" Prince Fernandes frowned at the man who fawned over the red-haired beauty. It appeared that she wasn't enjoying this man's company as well.

Erza took a step back and looked around for a place to escape. She would've drawn her sword, but Master Makarov had warned her of the consequences that would follow if she did. She was on the verge of drawing her sword, too...

Without thinking, the prince took hold of Erza's arm and began to drag her towards the ballroom floor, much to her surprise.

"Me~n! What are you doing?"

"I'm sorry to break it to you, mister," He managed to smile weakly at the man, for he felt quite sorry for him. "I asked her first."

Ichiya's mouth fell to the floor and watched as the pair walked off without him. Then, he too, sulked away.

As soon as Erza sensed Ichiya's absence, she yanked her arm from Jellal's hand and glared at him.

"What were you thinking?!"

The prince was taken aback by her sudden outburst. He regained his composure within a few seconds and replied to her truthfully. "I was only trying to help."

The knight seemed to have calmed down a bit and looked at the prince from head to toe. She then huffed. "I could've handled it myself, you know."

"You looked as if you were going to faint any moment. I had to do something."

"T-thanks, I suppose..." Erza hung her head in embarrassment. "I should get back to my post..."

Just as she turned around, Prince Fernandes reached out for her hand, only to be stopped by remembering her seemingly contemptuous attitude towards this gesture earlier. "Wait!"

The redhead stopped in her tracks and half-heartedly turned to face him.

"If you wish to continue pestering me about my actions, I don't find it very amusing."

Jellal shook his head and made sure that he was looking at her in the eye. It was difficult to accomplish this, for she was still glaring at him.

"I wasn't being entirely truthful when you questioned me earlier. I was, in fact, looking for you because..."

He paused, reciting and reorganized the phrases and words that he felt that didn't fit right. He took a deep breath and managed to regain his consciousness once more. He held out his hand towards the knight.

"May I have this dance? I know that this is really sudden, but..."

Erza stared at him in surprise, her heart matching the speed of the gears turning in her head. What should she do? No, she definitely wasn't ready for this! Besides, she had work to do...

"I'm sorry, but I can't. I need to get back to patrolling the ball.", she found herself saying to him.

The prince frowned. "Is that all you're worried about?" Erza nodded her head; although there might be a little more to it than that.

"That's a shame... Perhaps you would like some time off tonight?"

She gaped at the prince. This man... was as bothersome as Ichiya! Even so, she could help but fell a fluttering sensation in her chest. As similar as their persistence was, apart from Ichiya his demeanor seemed... different.

"I..."

"Please." His face was full of eagerness that she had no other choice but to submit to his offer. There was still one thing that concerned her the most, despite this.

"Yes, but... I don't think that the king would be very happy about it; not that I care. It can ruin our conglomerate's reputation-"

"You don't have to worry about that, milady. After all, I was the one who asked of your conglomerate; therefore your actions are in my hands."

"I see..."

"Now, about that dance..." He smiled warmly at the knight, hoping that she would accept.

His dazzling smile made her feel so fuzzy inside that she tried to prevent herself from falling over her heels and onto the ground. She had failed to suppress a smile that she had been hiding.

"I would be honored, Prince Fernandes."

His grin widened as he took her hand and led her towards the dance floor.

 **A/N:** **Reviews are always welcome. And as always... thank you for reading!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

 **Disclaimer:** **I DO NOT OWN FAIRY TAIL- IT BELONGS TO HIRO MASHIMA!**

His body movement guided her around the ballroom ever so gently; it had to be a dream. Erza had allowed the prince to dance with her, and there they were; waltzing gracefully around the room. She had never dreamed of dancing to be this relaxing.

"You said that you were bad at dancing as I recall, yes?"

Erza looked at his searching gaze, particularly his eyes. "What of it?"

The prince chuckled and turned themselves to the right, and avoided a collision with another couple.

"Sorry, but I must disagree with you. I would say the exact opposite."

The red-haired knight blushed as he complimented her, and she looked away, avoiding eye contact.

They continued to dance in silence for awhile, and Jellal led Erza out into the garden, still waltzing until they reached an arched bridge that hovered over the pond that flowed beneath it.

The 'couple' stopped dancing for a moment to gaze the magnificent view that the moon enhanced that night.

"The view is amazing," she mumbled, still disappointed that they had stopped, and was amazed at how well she had danced with him. "Thanks for the dance by the way," she quickly added.

The prince laughed and caught a glimpse of the knight's face gradually turn pinker and pinker. He most definitely never saw this side of her before; not to mention how tough Erza acted as she defended him from his father's actions and words that have abused him. The sudden change in her behavioral pattern was interesting indeed.

"I would like to know something; if you don't mind me questioning you, Prince Fernandes." Erza moved closer to Jellal with an intent sparkle in her eyes. Damn; she was so cute that it was almost irresistible to decline her.

"Anything at all."

"Royal families usually host balls and other ceremonies for certain special occasions. What is it this time? Last time I checked, tonight is just... normal. There's no holiday or anything as such-"

"Now that you mention it," the prince began, cutting her off completely. "I'm a bit thirsty. Care to join me?"

The red knight can only do nothing but stare at the prince after he cut her off so suddenly. Surely he was more of a gentleman before; his actions seemed more different somehow. Her eyes narrowed as she watched him take a sip of punch at one of the refreshment tables. Something didn't seem right, and she, Erza Scarlet, knew that it was a concerning matter. She pushed her way towards him, hoping that she could get a better overall understanding than she had then. Perhaps he would answer her if she assuaged some pressure off of him...

But the prince saw this coming. As if he read her mind, he said: "I'd rather not talk about it."

"Surely it must be spoken about. You've been acting strangely after I brought up the topic-"

Jellal slammed the glass back onto the table; maybe it made it seem harsh. It made him regret for acting so angry in front of her, but she didn't flinch or act scared much to his admiration.

"Forgive me. Let's just say that this matter doesn't concern you at all. I don't want to speak or hear of it... ever."

"Well, well, well, if it isn't Prince Fernandes himself," said a voice not too distant from them.

Erza turned to see a short, old man wearing red robes lined with white fur, embroidered with gold straps. He wore navy blue dress pants with a shirt with white strips running vertically. His thick eyebrows and white hair really caught her eye. Next to him stood a girl who was much taller; her green hair was tied into a bun with hairs dangling from either side of her head. She wore a relatively flowy dress with fur around her neck and white roses around her chest area. Judging by the tiara and gems on the girl's head, she was a princess, Erza concluded. Much to her contempt, King Faust was only a few paces behind the short man, and he wore his usual frown to bear his malice.

"Fernandes. I believe you have someone to meet." Faust's eyes crossed back and forth from the prince to the girl and the man.

The man bowed as the girl curtsied to him.

"Good evening, Prince Fernandes. I am King Toma E. Fiore of the Fiore Kingdom. Allow me to introduce you to my daughter.

"His royal highness, prince of the royal capital of Edolas," said the princess. "I am Hisui E. Fiore of the Fiore Kingdom. It is an honor to meet you."

Their backs straightened as they lifted themselves from their greeting gestures. Princess Hisui smiled warmly at King Faust and Prince Jellal, whom were standing across from the Fiore 'family'. Erza stood silently behind Jellal; she didn't want to interfere with them until...

"Oh? I see you have company, Prince Fernandes," exclaimed King Fiore as he peered over Jellal's shoulder, noticing Erza at last.

"I almost forgot. Sorry your majesty; this is Erza of the Fairy Tail Knight Conglomerate. She's an exceptional swordswoman, as I have heard..."

Erza performed a small bow with her neck, almost nodding at King Fiore while finding it difficult to hide her confusion from the royals. She remained silent for the time being.

"I've heard of you before! It's nice to meet you, Erza." The king laughed, somehow amused by the knight.

"King Fiore, I believe we have an important matter to discuss," King Faust said in his usual serious tone.

"I believe we do... Prince Fernandes? Would you mind escorting my daughter around the castle premises? We'll be back in a few."

"Yes sir."

King Faust and King Fiore walked away from them, appearing to have a very deep conversation as they entered through a door and out of sight.

"I'm sorry about my father. He's very... conservative," said Jellal to the princess.

Princess Hisui giggled. "Well, it isn't very surprising. After all, we live in very diverse kingdoms..."

"You could say that. How about we all take a stroll in the garden?"

The princess nodded in agreement. The trio moved out, once again, into the garden with the arched bridge and the moonlight.

"This is so beautiful...", the princess murmured as she watched the water flow beneath them.

Erza's heart and stomach churned as she watched the prince and princess out of pure jealousy. It wasn't surprising; they were both deprived of royalty. How could she, a knight, possibly end up with someone on the higher end of the social spectrum?

"...and this is Erza. I actually just met her about a week ago; she's been a great help."

Erza's attention snapped back at Jellal's admiring gaze; the way his olive-green eyes sparkled in the moonlight whenever he looked at her. The twisted feeling in her internal organs had vanished completely and she was staring back at him with her chocolate orbs.

"I'm sorry?"

"I'm praising you," the prince laughed, evidently with great amusement; the princess joined in.

Erza forced a fake smile to the royals, who were still laughing.

"Mind if I leave you both here for a moment? You seem to get along well without me."

"Erza, it's fine, _really_. We enjoy your company-"

"It isn't that. I... need to go fetch some punch for myself."

She turned on her heel without hesitation, ignoring the prince and the princess's protests, and re-entered the ballroom. Of course she didn't want to 'fetch punch'. She just wanted to get as far away from Prince Fernandes as possible.

"I already told you, King Faust; I'm against it by all means!"

Erza stopped shortly in her tracks upon hearing King Fiore's voice.

"You have no choice. Without their engagement, and future joined kingdoms, we will never be able to defeat the Alvarez Empire."

" _I_ have no choice?! You just want our kingdom's riches; no... You want power! Defeating the Alvarez Empire isn't your top priority!", King Fiore's voice rose with every word he ejected from his mouth.

"It isn't if we don't join forces," King Faust spat. "An ordinary alliance will not work. Our armies don't stand a chance when it comes to getting along; _especially_ when we went to war with each other several times."

There was silence for a brief moment.

"So you're telling me," King Fiore said with an ominous tone. "That we have to give up our children's happiness for the sake of our country?"

"I don't give a damn about Fernandes's wellbeing. As long as we defeat Emperor Spriggan and his army, we can live in peace."

Erza could hear scuffling of feet coming towards the closed door. She found herself crouched behind a tall, gold vase which was big enough to cover herself from the guards standing at the room's entrance.

"Ridiculous! I will not allow it!" King Fiore said as he stormed out of King Faust's sight.

Erza managed to slip through a crowd of guests and pushed through towards the garden for the third time in hopes of running into the prince, only to find a silent, breathtaking scenery that remained there laid out before her.

 **A/N:** **To be continued... XD**


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

 **A/N:** **So sorry that it took me quite some time to update this story. I feel so frustrated right now. w**

 **Disclaimer:** **I DO NOT OWN FAIRY TAIL- IT BELONGS TO HIRO MASHIMA!**

"Is that all of them?"

"I think so."

Erza requipped back into her normal gear and sighed. After successfully dispatching a group of monsters prowling around the border of a town with Lucy, she was bound to feel down again.

Lucy fastened her whip to her belt. She returned her ring of keys into a small, brown pouch that was attached to the same belt as well.

"Erza, should we go back to collect our reward?"

"Of course; how do you think we'll be able to pay for your rent?"

Lucy blushed in embarrassment. "I'm sorry. I guess my mind is in a bit of a haze lately."

 _I could say the same_ , Erza thought.

They walked back, slow-paced, to the town with anything but jewels in their heads.

"It's been weeks since the ball. I can't believe how fast time flies..." Lucy stretched her arms behind her back. "The more I think about it, I want to go back even more! It's such a nice place; did you see the castle garden in the back? I never knew a place as such existed-"

"Alright, enough. The more you talk about it, _I_ may not be able to resist myself from going back."

 _Yeah right._

"I saw you with Prince Fernandes again."

"And?"

"Oh, nothing. Just stating the obvious." Lucy shuddered nervously, in hopes of not angering her comrade.

"I'm not mad," Erza said flatly upon noticing her anxiety.

They had just arrived at their destination with heads turning in their direction as Erza and Lucy showed the landlord their guild conglomerate stamps and permitted them into town.

...

"Yippee! I can't believe that the mayor of this town actually paid us the amount written on the job request... wow!"

Erza quirked an eyebrow at the excited blonde. "Just don't destroy things in the guild hall when we get back. I guarantee that your money will be safe then."

"Erza, I- you know I wouldn't do that!" Lucy huffed.

"I was kidding."

"Of course you were."

"We're going back by carriage. It should take us about two days to get back if there is no delay."

"Thank goodness Natsu isn't here."

"You said it."

Erza handed jewels to the carriage driver as Lucy boarded the vehicle, and joined her comrade shortly after, and smoothed her skirt once she sat down.

"When we get back, I'm going to take a nice, long bath," Lucy said excitedly. "I don't think I'm going to drop by at the guild though. I need to rest first, you see..."

Erza glanced out the opening of the carriage, taking note of any changes in the area.

"I hope the rest of our team is doing okay. We've been gone for a week already."

Erza nodded her head, still watching the exterior of where they were currently sitting.

"Erza?"

Erza remained silent, still watching the sky and it grew darker and darker by the minute. There seemed to be a flickering, golden light in the distance, but she couldn't tell what it was. A few seconds later, the sky returned to its original pale blue color.

"What's the matter?"

"Nothing. You should rest; it's going to be a long ride," she replied without turning her head away from the sky.

Lucy began to recline into a soft cushion propped against the carriage's wall, still watching Erza in confusion before drifting off.

Erza continued to watch the sky expectantly, but it remained the same.

 _What was that just now?_ , she wondered without surrendering to her drowsiness.

...

A man dressed in long, dark robes with a white cloth slung around his shoulder walked along a dimly lit corridor. He takes slow strides towards a room straight ahead. When he reaches the room, he is immediately confronted by another man wearing dark dress pants and a white collared dress shirt and tie. Over this, he wore a trench coat with a white border. His messy white hair is bunched up into a side ponytail and his spectacles glistened in the light of the room.

"Welcome back, your majesty."

"Invel," he curtly nodded to him. "I know this is sudden, but can you please gather the twelve?"

"That would take some time. If I had known that the spring wind was coming, I would've gathered them in advance."

Two black figures enveloped by the darkness of the corridor emerge into the same room.

"A spring wind? I would say he's much more of a black wind... a black storm that brings death to all," said a blonde-haired woman. She wore a brown bandeau along with a pair of striped capri pants and a dark jacket tied around her waist. Her neck is shielded by a gorget while her arm is plated with armor.

"Nah, he's dust dancing over the dead land!"

This new voice belonged to a muscular man with his brown hair sticking wildly in all directions. His attire mostly consisted of a gold fabric that barely covered his chest along with brown, baggy trousers and gold lock-in sandals. To top it off, he wore gold bracelets of each arm, along with earrings and gold bands on his biceps.

"Dimaria. Ajeel. You two look well."

Invel sighed. "You ought to treat his majesty with more respect."

"It's fine. Ah, August," he added when he noticed a tall man dressed in robes enter the room.

"My, my. With that happy look on your face, it must mean that you've finally come up with an answer."

"Indeed I have. Let us all sit and wait for the others. I have an important announcement to make."

...

"We are _not_ playing strip poker!" Lucy yelled after hearing Natsu's suggestion.

"Aww, c'mon Lucy. Play with us!"

"Aye!"

"Shut up, cat! It's not like you can undress any further! And you!" Lucy shielded her eyes from Gray's naked body. "Put some clothes on!"

Erza bit into a piece of her strawberry cake as her team continued to argue with one another. For once, she couldn't care less about how her teammates behaved. Ever since the ball, her strawberry cake intake increased in attempt of forgetting the one person on her mind.

"I take it that your job went well. Lucy is in a good mood today," Mirajane exclaimed as she polished a glass cup with a small, white cloth.

"I suppose so," Erza answered as she proceeded to eat her beloved cake.

"You should've seen Master's face when he heard that you guys didn't wreck havoc! He was a bit shocked, but obviously proud nonetheless."

"Speaking of the Master, where is he?"

"He's at a meeting at the moment. He should be back in a day or two."

"In that case, we'll just-"

She is interrupted by Happy, who was hurled across the room and landed on the floor to the right of Erza. "Why does this always happen to me?" he groaned before fainting.

"Fuck it! You're going down, Salamander!"

"I'M ALL FIRED UP!"

"Don't mind me, Wendy. Heal my fish instead!"

"Healing fish is manly!"

"SHUT UP!"

"Oh my," Mirajane chuckled nervously upon noticing Erza's angry aura.

"ENOUGH," Erza yelled.

"A-aye." Everyone stopped dead in their tracks. Gajeel was in the middle of pulling Natsu into a head-lock, while Gray was in the midst of putting on his clothes. Erza continued to glare at her team and eventually forced a sigh out of her system. Once order was reestablished, Erza resumed to eating her cake.

At that very moment, a humanoid creature that closely resembled an amphibian dress in Council robes stepped through the entrance of the guild and clapped loudly for everyone's attention.

"I have a letter for..."

Before he could finish, Natsu rushed up to him and ushered him out the door.

"Thanks, but no thanks. Bye!", he yelled as he slammed the door.

"Natsu! What do you think you're doing?!", screamed an enraged Lucy as she stomped towards him. With a heated glare, she proceeded to open the door for the council member.

"I'm so sorry. Forgive him please."

"Sorry indeed! You ought to whip that uncivilized savage into shape!"

"That's enough. What about your delivery?", Erza walked towards the commotion with Natsu growling behind her.

The council member coughed and read: "To the Fairy Tail Conglomerate, from the royal capital."

Gray groaned. "Again?"

 _Must be Jellal..._ , Erza thought.

He handed the package to Erza and marched quickly out of the guild while murmuring questionable comments about the conglomerate.

"What is it this time?" Erza's team crowded around her, hoping to view its contents as soon as possible. Erza ripped the letter open and removed a lustrous, gold paper that read:

 _To the Knights of the Fairy Tail Conglomerate:_

 _Thank you for taking part in Prince Jellal Fernandes' and Princess Hisui E. Fiore's engagement celebration. You are hereby invited to serve as undercover guards during their wedding on June 7th, X784. You are required to dress in appropriate attire as instructed by his majesty in due time. Enclosed along with this letter are special identification cards to confirm your identity to the guards (Note that without these, you are not permitted to enter castle grounds regardless of showing them your guild/conglomerate mark.)_

 _We look forward to your services._

 _King Faust of the Royal Capital of Edolas._

 _Toma E. Fiore of the Fiore Kingdom._

The Conglomerate members looked at each other in confusion as Erza began to remove the identification cards out the envelope.

"That was an engagement party?" Lucy questioned. "I didn't hear anyone talking about an engagement going on..."

 _Apparently there was_ , Erza scoffed mentally.

"June 7th... That's about five...no. Six months away." Levy exclaimed.

"No way am I going back there," Natsu snarled.

Erza began to hand out the cards to her team. "Lucy, Gray, Natsu, Wendy, Levy, Gajeel,... Hold on."

She stuck her hand back into the envelope, but all that was left was a golden slip of paper that was slightly larger than the rest of the cards.

"No more cards?" Happy exclaimed. "No fair! Why don't the exceeds ever count?"

"No. There's something else in here," Erza pulled out the golden slip of paper that dared to present her name in big, fancy white letters.

It was the ultimate insult, and she knew who it was from.

 **A/N:** **As usual, I hope you enjoyed it :) Please leave a review and stay tuned ;)**


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